Egg Laying and Mating Questions

Okay, these are my first ducks and i have some questions. My one Cayuga female will be 8 months end of December. Then i have 4 white crested, 3 runners, 2 Golden Hybrid 300s, and 1 Blue Swedish all females, then 1 Blue Swedish Drake, all of whom are 3 months old.

So, when do girls start laying? And will they need a nest box or can they use the large hay-filled dog kennel in one of their pens or the playhouse which is their sleeping quarters in their other pen, or will they just pick some random spot? And then, when do males reach their sexual maturity? Mr. Lucky doesn't have his curly tail feather yet, but almost. And finally, how do ducks mate? i mean, do they need to be in water to mate or will they do it on land? And do they stand on top of the girl the way a rooster does? When i was raising a little Black East Indie duck for my friend, i noticed him and my Cayuga in the water a couple times. She was all stretched out and he got on top, like she was a pontoon boat. They tried to make contact, but the size difference was just too much.

i'm sure these are all very silly questions to you seasoned duck owners, but i have absolutely no idea and want to be a bit prepared. Thanks!

OK....so depending on breeds, climate and season - ducks can start laying as young a 17 weeks but most would be more like 22 weeks. I have boxes for mine- most of my ducks use them. I have two borrowed ducks at the moment who have each made themselves a nest in the yard and filed them with hay and twigs. They may use the kennel or playhouse- it may also depend on what time of the day they lay. I have one girl who will use the nesting box in the night pens- but if she lays later in the day she will always go up next to the back fence. I have noticed drakelets as young as 13 weeks trying to mate. As far as fertility goes Im not really sure....since you dont get eggs until the duck lays....the drake may well be fertile earlier.. But I always run the same aged ducks together so have never tested for that. They can do it on land or in water. Some of the heavier breeds find it easier in water. It is similar to a rooster as far as position goes...however the anatomy of a duck is a little different. Hope some of this has helped...there are plenty of people on here who will be able to share experiences with egg laying and what they provide for their ducks.